Category: research
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documentary recommendation–joan didion: the center will not hold
Quite a few students asked me about watching this 2017 Netflix documentary on Joan Didion. One of my favorite writers and I enjoyed the film. Fascinating to see personal interviews as well as to hear excerpts of some of her iconic essays.
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documentary recommendation: trudell
One of my favorite writers, activists and speakers. John Trudell: It has been, literally, the most blood thirsty, brutalizing system ever imposed on this planet. That is not civilization. That’s the great lie – is that it represents civilization. That’s the great lie. Or if it does represent civilization, and that’s truly what civilization is, […]
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little mocos a novel in stories–book soundtrack–parts 1 and 2
Put together a quick listing of song titles I think work with each chapter of my book. Saw a few other writers I admire do this and so I thought I would try. More and more I like the idea of a movie-style book soundtrack. And I am finding this a fascinating exercise. Many of […]
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inside llewyn davis and the mobius strip narrative
Teaching a film as lit class this term and spending some time this week closely studying Joel and Ethan Coen’s pre-Bob Dylan period film Inside Llewyn Davis. I am particularly interested in the themes of crisis and purposeleness. I also like the feel that the narrative is a mobius strip trapping the main character. I am seeing […]
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podcast recommendation: code switch–race and identity, remixed
Highway driving this summer and enjoying the fairly new Code Switch podcast. I also enjoy the written articles posted on NPR Code Switch site. Primarily enjoying the article on digital divides between Latino and Anglos.
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podcast recommendation: this american life episode 562–the problem we all live with
Episode 562 This American Life–The Problem We All Live With I’ve lived and taught in the Midwest for ten years now and have yet to fully understand the place and the people. After the Michael Brown shooting and the Ferguson riots, I found this incredible episode of This American Life on Michael Brown’s school district–the worst district in […]
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documentary recommendation: the untold history of the united states
Peter J. Kuznick’s research translates well to this Oliver Stone directed series of hour-long documentaries. I found myself admiring the post-structuralism historical mode as well as the well constructed mix of photographs, film footage and news reels.
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update: neruda not poisoned
I was interested to find this update on the Neruda exumation. Seems that he was not poisoned but family not satisfied or convinced according to a few articles.
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last tuesday at the movies
Went to the movies last week. I should’ve been grading or obsessing over the part time instructor evaluations I was supposed to be writing up. But I went to the movies instead. Don’t always spend time during the week taking time to watch movies but I did. And I don’t regret it. I wish I […]
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nelson algren documentary
Happen to be reading through The Man With the Golden Arm this summer. Now news of Algren documentary. I’m looking forward to it.
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quick thoughts on kubrick and the unsayable
Lately I’ve been obsessed with Stanley Kubrick films. I mention The Shining in class quite often to my students and how it represents an incredible example of psychological dread built into a narrative. A slow and constant ratcheting of tension. (I find myself mentioning films in general quite a bit in creative writing regarding matters of narratology.) […]
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quick note on the three burials of melquiades estrada
Had some time to watch The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada this weekend. I’ve been meaning to watch more Latino themed films for the blog. I admired Guillermo Arriaga’s screenplay which I read won best of at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. I enjoyed the fractured sense of time and how we see the same event […]
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latino films
Just made a list of Latino-themed/focused films I’d like to re-watch and maybe write up a quick review for in the next few months. I’m going to keep adding to this list as I re-watch in spare time but here are a few of the films I’m thinking on: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada Mi […]
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jacqueline dougan jackson interview
Jacqueline “Jackie” Dougan Jackson is the author of over a dozen books, including three about the family dairy farm in Wisconsin that her grandfather began at the turn of the 20th century. The Round Barn, volume one, is at the culmination of years of dedicated collection, research, and synthesis using family materials, historical sources, and […]
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mary gaitskill lecture notes
A few weeks back I typed up some notes from Amy Hempel’s workshop I attended. I found my notes on Mary Gaitskill’s portion of the workshop and finally had the chance to type them up. I remember she was intense but I got some good notes down on how workshops can be “imperfect” she lectured […]
john paul jaramillo 